Tricycle



(No Model.) {Sheets-Sheet 3.

-D. L. KLAH'R.

TRIGYGLE.

No.447,331. Y Patented-Mar. 3,1891.

PNoro-Lrmo., WASNINBTUN, u. 04

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

D. L. KLAHR. TRIGYGLE.

UNITED STATES DAVILLA L. KLAHR, OF SHELBYVILLE, ILLINOIS.

TRICYCLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 447,331, dated March 3, 1891. Application filed September 16, 1890. Serial No. 365,188. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

I 3e it known that I, DAVILLA L. KLAHR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Shelbyville, in the county of Shelby and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Tricycle, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to carriages and wagons, and more especially to that class thereof known as velocipedes, and the object of the same is to produce a tricycle driven by a coiled spring or springs carried on the body of the machine and adapted to be wound from time to time by the rider.

The invention consists of the details of construction and arrangement of parts necessary for effecting the desired end, together with certain auxiliaries tending to enhance the value of the whole, all as hereinafter more fully described and as illustrated in the drawings, in which Fignrel is an elevation of this machine taken Fig. 2 is a plan view.-

from the right side. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan. Fig. 4 is a detail in perspective of the brake-operating and tension devices. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the steering mechanism. Fig. 6 isalongitndinal section.

Referring to the said drawings, the letter F designates a suitable framework composed of transverse front and rear bars connected by a number of longitudinal bars and supported by girders G, extending the length of the machine, as best seen in Fig. 3. Journaled in boxes X beneath the rear end of the framework is an axle A, having springclutches C on each end engaging the drivingwheels XV, whereby the latter will be turned forwardly with theaxle, but will be permitted to turn to the rear or to stand still independent of the motion of the axle, as is common in machines of this character. An upright shaft U is journaled in a suitable box at the forward end of the frame-work, and to the lower end of this shaft is attached the fork f, carrying the front or steering wheel 10. Diagonal braces D extend rearwardly from this fork and carry a friction-Wheel d at their upper end, which travels beneath a curved track T on the bottom of the frame-work F. The pivot of the friction-wheel d is extended into a hook H, and a chain N connects this hook with the lower end of the shaft, by which means the fork and brace are prevented from spreading.

v g is a segmental gear keyed to the upper end of the shaft U, and R is a rack-bar moving in suitable guides 0' and engaging said gear. Pivoted as at p to the rack-bar is a connecting or pitman rod P, whose other end is pivoted to the steeringlever 4. The latter is pivoted at the center of the disk Q, provided with a number of notches q in its edge, and a latch-lever 5, pivoted to the lever 4, op-

erates a bolt Q, which engages said notches and holds the steering-lever 4 at any desired point.

The axle A is driven from one or more powerful coiled springs arranged within a drum M, mounted loosely upon a shaft a, which is supported above the axle in suitable boxes or journals 00. From a sprocket Wheel WV on this drum a chain 0' leads around a larger sprocket-wheel W' on another shaft a, whereby a decreased speed of rotation is given the second sprocket-wheel. On said shaft a is another sprocket-wheel from which leads a second chain 0 forwardly to a smaller sprocket-wheel located on another shaft a", by which means an increase of speed is effected. On said shaft a is another sprocket-wheel WV of considerable size, from which a chain 0 leads rearwardly to a smaller sprocketwheel WV upon the axle A, by which an increased speed of revolution is imparted thereto. By this means the rotation of the drum by the uncoiling of the spring drives the shaft a rather slowly, which motion is communicated to the shaft a" with an increased speed, and from this shaft to the axle also with an increased speed, whereby the motion of the drum is transmitted to the'axle in a multiplied form. Upon the power-shaft a is a ratchet-wheel R, and a pawl P engages this ratchet-wheel to prevent a retrograde movement of the same, due to the uncoiling of the spring. The latter is connected at its inner end to this shaft and at its outer end to the drum in a manner well understood in spring- .motors. The spring is wound in the following manner, described below:

Upon the power-shaft a is a gear g, meshing with a gear g on an idle-shaft 1., journaled in one of the boxes 50, and on this idleshaft is a second gear 9 engaging a large gear g", mounted on what I shall call the windingshaft i Along each side of this large gear is a ratchet-wheel E, and below the framework is arranged a pair of loop-levers e, whose 5 loops are drawn into the teeth of the ratchetwhecl E by coiled springs c. The other ends of these loop-levers are pivotally connected to a long lever E on either side of its pivotal support E in the frame. To the other end of the long lever E is connected it pitman Y, which in turn is connected with the lower end of the winding-lever 1, which is journaled in the framework and rises upwardly along the right-hand side of the operators seat. The

plate L, depending from the framework. In order to wind the spring the windinglever 1 is reciprocated, whereby the long lever E is oscillated about its pivot E. This causes the loop-levers e to alternately engage the ratchetwheels E, and the winding-shaft i is thereby intermittently turned. This motion is communicated through the gears g g and g to the main shaft a, whereby the inner end of the large coiled spring is wound, the unwinding of the outer end thereof being meanwhile uninterrupted. The ratchet wheel R and pawl P prevents the return movement of the power-shaft, as above stated, and hence by a reciprocation of the winding-lever 1 power is stored, which may be afterward expended in driving the machine.

Journaled beneath the frame work and across the same in front of the main wheels \V is a shaft S, having brake-shoes S on its ends, and keyed to this shaft is the brakelever 2, which extends upwardly through the platform or fioor Z of the'device to within easy reach of the rider. The front edge of this lever is preferably provided with teeth j, adapted to be engaged by a pawl J, when desired, and when the lever is drawn to the rear the brakes are applied to the wheels, the pawl holding them in operative position. As soon as the pawl is disengaged from the teeth the coiled spring J throws it out of the way, as shown in Fig. 1. By this means the speed of the tricycle may be retarded or checked entirely at the will of the rider.

Upon a rearward extension F of the framework is mounted a casting V, supporting a speed-governor of any desired construction, but preferably as described below. In ahorizontal arm of this casting is j ournaled a short shaft having a band-pulley v on one end connected by a belt "0 with another band-pulley v on the axle, whereby motion of the latter is imparted to the band-pulley r. On said horizontal shaft is a bevel-gear inter-meshing with another on the upright rotating portion V of the governor. This portion carries the two weighted balls adapted to be thrown outwardly by centrifugal force, as well understood in speedgovcrnors, and whose inner ends engage a grooved ring V mounted on a vertically-moving rod-V This rod slides freely through the upright portion V and long lever E is preferably guided in a slotted.

the casting V, and its lower end rests upon the rear end of an arm S, which is keyed at its front end on the shaft S. Through this mechanism, should the device run away, as

down a steep hill, the governor will move the rod V downwardly, depress the rear end of the arm S, turn the shaft S, and automatically apply the brakeshoe S to the wheel.

The governor-arm S has a slot 3 in its body, which moves over a vertical pin 5 as best seen in Fig. 4, and depresses a coiled spring The lower end of this coiled spring rests upon a lever t, which rests upon a cross-bar 25 and whose front end is connected by a pitman t with the tension-lever This lever is pivoted at one end in a standard 25, rising from the frame through the platform Z, and at its other end is adapted to engage beneath one of a number of teeth t upon a bar or plate also rising from the frame and extending through the platform Z. By this means the tension-lever 3 can be depressed to increase the resisting force of the coiled spring .9 which force tends to sustain the arm S and overcome the operative movement of the governor. Hence, when the rider desires to travel very swiftly he depresses the tensionlever 3 and locks it in depressed position, and the governor is thereby prevented from automatically applying the brakes until the increased resisting force of the spring 3 has been overcome by the centrifugal force of the governor, and this latter force can only be increased by the very rapid movement of the machine.

\Vhat is claimed as new is- 1. In a velocipede, the combination, with the frame-work F, having the curved track T, of the upright shaft U, journaled in said frame-work, the fork f, depending from said shaft, the steering-wheel w, journaledin saidfork, the diagonal braces D, extending rearwardly from said fork, the friction-wheel cl at the upper end of said braces moving beneath said track, the pivot of said wheel being extended into a hook H, and a chain N, connecting said hook with'the lower end of said shaft, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. Ina velocipede, the combination, with the upright shaft U, carrying the steeringwheel to and j ournaled in the framework F, and a segmental gear g, connected to the upper end of said shaft, of a rack-bar R, engaging said gear and moving .in guides r, a connecting-rod p, pivoted to said rack-bar, a steering-lever 4, to which said connecting-rod is attached, a disk Q alongside said steeringlever and having a number of notches q in its edge, and a catch-lever 5, operating a bolt Q and engaging said notches, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a tricycle, the combination, with the axle A, carrying the driving-wheels W, the driving-shaft a, the drum M, mounted loosely thereon and connected by sprockets and chains with said axle, and the spring S, connected at one end to said drum and at the driving-shaft a, a ratchet-Wheel R,

other end to said driving-shaft, of the windin g-shatt 1 a large gear 9 thereon, connected with a gear g on the driving-shaft, a ratchet- Wheel E on each side of said large gear, looplevers e, engaging said ratchet-Wheel, a long lever E, pivoted to the frame, and to which said loop-levers are pivotally connected at either side of this pivot, and means for reciprocating said long lever, all as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, with a spring-actuated and pawl of a gear 9 upon said driving-shaft, a winding-shaft 2 carrying a large gear g an interposed idle-shaft '5, having gears g and 9 connecting said power and winding shafts, a

ratchet-wheel E on each side of said large gear,

loop-levers e, drawn into engagement with said ratchet-Wheels by coiled springs e, a long lever E, pivoted at E the loop-levers being pivotally connected to said long lever on either side of its pivotal support, a slotted plate L, in which the longer arm of said long lever is guided, a winding-lever 1, and a pitman Y, connecting the Winding-lever with the long lever, all as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a tricycle, the combination, with the axle having driving-wheels and the driving mechanism connected with said axle, of a speed-governor carried upon theframe-work of the tricycle and connected by belt and pulleys to the axle, a shaft S, journaled in said framework and having brake-shoes S opposite said driving-wheels, and an arm S keyed on said shaft and adapted to be actuated by said governor to apply the brakes, as and under the circumstances set forth.

6. The combination, with a speed-governor, an arm S having a slot 5, which arm is operated by said speed-governor, a stationary pin 3 passing loosely through said slot, and a coiled spring 8 surrounding said pin below said arm, of a lever t, resting between its ends upon a stationary bar 25', one end of said lever supporting said coiled spring, and a handlelever for operating the other end of said 1ever, the Whole operating as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a tricycle, the combination, with the main axle having driving-Wheels and the driving mechanism connected with said axle, of a speed-governor carried upon the frame-work of the tricycle and driven by said axle, a brake-shaft S, journaled in the frame-Work and having shoes S opposite said drivingwheel, a brake-handle lever on said shaft, an arm S keyed on said shaft and adapted to be actuated by said governor to apply the brakes, and a tension device, substantially as described, for imparting a regulated degree of resistance to the movement of said arm, as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signatnrein presence of two witnesses.

DAVILLA L. KLAI-IR.

Witnesses:

T. F. DOVE, W. A. TROWER. 

